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ryandgracey

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Posts posted by ryandgracey

    Waiting for appointment schedule

    in Philippines

    Posted

    hello,

    why not call the usem just like what we did my fiance we cal the usem and i have now my interview and this coming monday i am going to have my medical.I don't have yet until now my letter we call the embassy they said all i got to bring is my pasport and my case no. and the payment but to make sure i bring my case no paper form nvc my fianceesend it to me...

    i hope this will help you..god bless

    NVC schedules interviews for IR/CR beneficiaries usually around the 2nd week of each month. We missed that 2nd wk cut-off by a day. My husband would be receiving notice of the appointment, as would I and our daughter. But thank you just the same :star:

    Waiting for appointment schedule

    in Philippines

    Posted

    Hi guys....

    We missed getting scheduled by NVC for appointment at USEM by just one day. I guess I had conditioned my mind that we would be getting scheduled before the end of November and that we would soon be going for our medical. I just feel a bit disorganized right now. I have all the documents ready for the interview and I am just sitting here waiting. I think of the eventual disruption of my daughter's schedule at school. I can't even finalize follow-up schedules for patients, telling them to "please call a few days before your scheduled appointment".

    Admittedly, I am quite restless because I just want to get this over and done with and start preparing for the holidays and our baby's birthday and my husband's arrival. I know, we can't do anything but wait and we should still be thankful for going through the process in record time. Just wanting to vent a bit... :unsure:

    confused about CFO

    in Philippines

    Posted

    I have yet to get a visa but I am done with the CFO. Just need the sticker which I intend to get ASAP after getting our visas.

    I went to PRISM for the seminar, not knowing that there may be some additional items needed like pictures of you and your fiancee. I had all our documents and the only thing I was asked for was a photocopies of my passport and birth certificate. After the seminar, you will be given a certificate of attendance which you must photocopy BEFORE you go to CFO and get another certification. There is no photocopier at CFO, unless you wish to take a 10-min pedicab ride into the heart of the shanties nearby.

    Now, once you get the certificates, DO NOT lose them as they will be looked for at Immigration at NAIA, even if you have the sticker already.

    I guess it would be a worthwhile way of spending the waiting period....

    G325A and DS230 questions

    in Philippines

    Posted

    G325A - if you are making a continuation sheet, put first the item being asked then your answer. You may put "see attached" on the form itself. If your answer is the same in other questions asked, type it, and not "same as #_"

    DS230 - if your answers don't fit, make an attachment sheet and put down the number of whatever is asked then your answer. Again, do not put "same as #_". Would save them time in going thru your papers plus avoid any potential RFE's from answering the forms wrong. You may put "see attached" though on the form.

    thank you Gracey.

    However, would it be a lot more convenient to just type "See attachment #1" only on the 1st row? and nothing more so they can just see my entire detailed address on the attachment?

    For DS230, I just decided to write it manually.

    i wrote it down repeatedly

    G325A and DS230 questions

    in Philippines

    Posted

    G325A - if you are making a continuation sheet, put first the item being asked then your answer. You may put "see attached" on the form itself. If your answer is the same in other questions asked, type it, and not "same as #_"

    DS230 - if your answers don't fit, make an attachment sheet and put down the number of whatever is asked then your answer. Again, do not put "same as #_". Would save them time in going thru your papers plus avoid any potential RFE's from answering the forms wrong. You may put "see attached" though on the form.

    Filipinos Learning How to Drive

    in Philippines

    Posted

    I've been driving here in Manila for the past 13 years (wow! has it been that long?). I acquired my driving thru 3 people: 1. my ever-careful cousin, 2. my uncle's driver, also ever-careful (though he has to speed sometimes with care when my uncle's security is of concern), and last but not least 3. an ex-taxi driver. LOL. My pet peeve is drivers who do not know that they have such a contraption on their vehicles known as a signal light and that it is not a decor, and try to sneak into my right of way.

    My husband has witnessed my driving skills and thinks I will do just fine in the US though I may have to adjust to the wider and less congested (thank God!) roads. He was and still is all too happy to have the opportunity to drive here since he can drive the way he would really like to drive....he can acutally pass for a Filipino cab driver :lol:

    When we move to the US though, I will need to get used to driving his truck. He plans on getting a second-hand car which he would use only in going to work and back and he says he would rather let me use the well-maintained truck for whatever need I would have. He doesn't want me commuting. Besides, I dont think I can stand NOT driving.

    CASE COMPLETED AT NVC

    in Philippines

    Posted

    Thank you very much guys!

    We are even more restless now, it seems. Am anxious to start having the medicals (while we are both free of cough or colds). And I can't even do my Christmas shopping yet! Nor schedule definite follow-up dates for patients. We were told to call NVC again by Friday to see if we still made it to a November sched. I am hoping we do :whistle:

    For those still waiting....just hang in there. You'll still finish in time. Just be patient.

    Interview Sched for December

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

    Posted

    My husband called October 14th (7:30 ET) and he was told that our case was indeed complete and there may be a possibility of getting an appointment for late November still. He was told to call again this Friday. So, there may still be a few November schedules left for us. Of course, an early December won't hurt too. I also want to be done before mid-December so I can enjoy the holidays more. Don't know how easy it would be for you to get a flight out of Manila on short notice though, but if you are that adamant, you should be able to join your family in time for the holidays.

    No DV process not retroactive

    in Philippines

    Posted

    I went to the USEM site, downloaded the instruction packet for IR/CR and, lo and behold, DV wasn't anwhere on it. I did look at the date on the packet and it was October 2008, just as MJ3LV said. I had downloaded the previous packet earlier and the DV requirement was there. Now, it isn't. And this is on the official USEM site. The marriage index is mentioned though, as well as anything and everything that you can provide to prove the you are who you are, your spouse is who he/she is, and that you do have an existing relationship which is authentic in every way.

    BTW, requested a marriage index (though I have the one I got before we were married)...said it'll take 5 days minimum? Is this about accurate?

    CASE COMPLETED AT NVC

    in Philippines

    Posted

    My hubby called NVC 8pm ET (8am RP time) and he was told that our case was completed last Friday. Took just about 4 days for them to process our papers, and no RFEs. Is unbelievable, if you'll ask me, since we just started this journey at the end of July. Now we are looking at a possible late November or early December interview. A pity we did not meet the 2nd week cut-off for scheduling appointments, no thanks to the ever-efficient NBI, but who am I to complain still, right? Still, we are very thankful....and thanks to this site as well which has been very helpful to us.

    Hopefully get scheduled soon and be over and done with everything so I can turn my attention to the coming holidays :innocent:

    Any MD's here? Or anyone in the know?

    in Philippines

    Posted

    Well maybe Idaho has higher standards then California...who knows. All I know is when I talked to the Idaho state Medical board, they told me none of the schools in the Philippines were on the list of accredited Universities.

    Medical Education Credentials:

    http://www.ecfmg.org/creds/index.html

    International Medical Education Directory (IMED):

    http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

    To Search IMED (IMED have 74 Countries on their lists (including USA) with Accredited Medical Schools):

    http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

    For the Philippines there are 38 Medical Schools Accredited in the USA:

    http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

    Umm...the last three took me to the USCIS Immigration forms page.... :unsure:

    Any MD's here? Or anyone in the know?

    in Philippines

    Posted

    You need to take USMLE Step 1, Step 2CS, Step 2 CK (in any particular order)-- then apply for a residency training while taking or planning to take your Step 3 or you can also take your Step 3 after your residency training. You cannot work as Doctor here in the US unless you have the ECFMG Certification (requirement of which is to pass step 1, 2CS and 2CK). Your visa category has no bearing in applying for a job, one thing for sure is that you don't need a J-1 visa as what other IMG's do to get here in the U.S. since you will be receiving your GC soon. And one more advantage is, you don't need to take the English exam.

    I have already applied and scheduled for my Step 1 (3 more steps to go)... I'm doing it one step at a time since I have really no time to study and prepare since I am also working 12 -hours shift.

    And to rmncm---> I beg to disagree that the medical practice in the Philippines is below the standards as I know foreigners (USC and from other countries) that have taken their Medical degree in the Philippines then go back to their own country to practice their profession. I have 2 USC classmates, 4 Thais and one of that USC classmate of mine is already a Pulmonologist here in the US (CA) and one is a Surgeon. And there's 3 Pinay Doctors that are working as Pediatrician and 2 Internal Medicine Specialists in the Hospital that I am working now here in California. After they graduated from medical school, they took up the USMLE then had their residency training here in the US and if the medicine we practice in the Philippines were below standards then they would have not passed the USMLE and their residency training program. There are point tandards needed to be able to qualify to a residency program--- at least 220 for specialization like Pediatrician and Internal Medicine.

    Gracey---> just try to take the exam if you haven't taken it yet and don't quit with your goals. It may take time but someday we will still be able to practice our profession here in the U.S.

    Good Luck and God Bless.

    Thank you for your input. Am relieved somewhat that i cna go into residency with Steps 1 and 2. And the TOEFL too. I had begun to study for Step 1 but got caught up in the visa prep in addition to clinic hours. Is quite hard to concentrate on it right now. Will get back on track once all the hulabaloo is over. I can't quit my goals...being a Doc is the only thing I know how to do. My husband respects that and he is being very supportive.

    And yes, I agree with you regarding the standards of the Philippine medical schools. There are a lot of MD's in that small Fil-Am community in my husband's area and the majority had graduated from here and are having a good practice in the US. My best friend, based in NJ, likewise got her MD here and passed the USMLE and was a department head at Schering-Plough and is now working in the Oncology section of Astra-Zeneca. A lot of my co-residents here have also made their way into the US and are now concentrated on their respective practices. My then juniors are making their marks in Aussieland too. And our predecessors....their are highly respected by the international medical community as well. Oh...and add my uncle too, recently retired from Familiy Medicine after 45 years. You can google him too. My brother, a spine surgeon, graduated a year before I did at the same Philippine medical school and he has been all over Europe and Asia, presenting paper after paper. He is currently in Toronto and is scheduled to give a lecture at a medical convention. And yes, he has passed both the USMLE and the British exams. So....substandard? I don't think so.

    Good Luck to us all :)

    Marriage Index or CENOMAR

    in Philippines

    Posted

    So I can get this CENMAR via applying on the NSO website? And I input my data just as I did when I applied for my pre-marriage CENOMAR?

    Pardon my ignorance..... :unsure:

    hi,

    actually i haven't had yet but i'll see what i can do tomorrow since my interview will be on oct 22,2008.i'll just go directly to the NSO...anyway i hope this link could help..

    https://www.ecensus.com.ph/Secure/frmIndex.asp

    goodluck....

    hi...

    thank you very much. I know our papers are still being processed by nvc but i would like to get all the needed paperwork together, and the marriage index is the last one. I had the misfortune of having to wait a long time when I got my pre-marriage cenomar, hence the want to apply for this on online.

    goodluck to you too!

    hi...

    thank you very much. I know our papers are still ongoing processing but i want to get all the needed paperwork together and this marriage index is the last one. i had the misfortune of waiting a long time before getting my first cenomar, hence my wanting to apply for it online this time.

    goodluck to you too!

    Marriage Index or CENOMAR

    in Philippines

    Posted

    So I can get this CENMAR via applying on the NSO website? And I input my data just as I did when I applied for my pre-marriage CENOMAR?

    Pardon my ignorance..... :unsure:

    hi,

    actually i haven't had yet but i'll see what i can do tomorrow since my interview will be on oct 22,2008.i'll just go directly to the NSO...anyway i hope this link could help..

    https://www.ecensus.com.ph/Secure/frmIndex.asp

    goodluck....

    hi...

    thank you very much. I know our papers are still ongoing processing but i want to get all the needed paperwork together and this marriage index is the last one. i had the misfortune of waiting a long time before getting my first cenomar, hence my wanting to apply for it online this time.

    goodluck to you too!

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